Demon Night

hope you ain’t figuring to use me as an enforcer.”
    “No,” Angie said, and coolly examined one of her long red fingernails. “I can handle that part of it.”
    “Unlike Katya and Vladimir, we’ll own our responsibilities.” Cora’s smile became thin and sharp. “And we definitely won’t be killing any humans. Now, didn’t that come back to bite them on the ass?” Cora let out a hard laugh.
    Ethan paused at the door; Charlie’s grip tightened. He met her gaze, saw the same unease that flashed through him, then turned back to Cora. “How’s that?”
    Eyes narrowing, Angie glanced between them. “Manny told you about how Vladimir and Katya died.”
    “That he did—and that it was the same method the nephil used. How’s that relate to them killing humans?”
    Cora leaned forward. “Manny put up the spell just after you mentioned how the nephil killed the rogue in that alley. And Manny told us that he told you about the guy who did it—are you saying he didn’t tell you?”
    “He didn’t,” Ethan said. Reining in his impatience wasn’t easy. “How about you tell us now?”
    With a laugh, Angie said, “The weasel chickened out. Probably thought you’d slay him for his part in it.”
    That was just about enough of that. “How about you tell us what goddamn part you’re speaking of?”
    Cora lifted her brows. “Do you have time for a long story?”
    At his side, Charlie shook her head. “No. Give us the condensed version.”
    “Okay.” Cora hooked a strand of black hair back from her forehead. “You know what’s-his-face, the senator, was trying to get Vladimir and Katya to go public about six months ago?”
    “That we do,” Ethan said. Just the mention of Brandt was giving him a bad feeling.
    “Well, he paid Vladimir as compensation for coming out and for submitting to whatever testing needed to be done to prove vampires existed.”
    Charlie said slowly, “We’ve seen something like a payment from the Brandts.”
    “It was supposed to be the first payment of many,” Angie said. “Except once Manny told us what Vladimir and Katya were planning, Cora and I went and talked some sense into them. Coming out wouldn’t do anyone any good—human or not.”
    “That’s a fact,” Ethan agreed. “So I take it Vladimir and Katya tried to pull out—and weren’t going to return the money. From what little I’ve seen of the senator, I reckon he didn’t take kindly to that, threatening to expose them anyway.”
    And if Vladimir and Katya had killed someone, obviously whomever Brandt had sent to collect them hadn’t been properly warned of what he was facing.
    “Yes. Broke his neck, and then they asked Manny to dump him—”
    “Him?” Charlie was blinking, and Ethan thought he probably looked as confused as she was. “They killed Senator Brandt when he threatened them? But—”
    “Yes. And no.” Cora grimaced, lifted her shoulders. “Manny said that he’d just driven the body to the highway when he heard thumping in the trunk. The old guy was still alive, even though Manny said he could have sworn he was dead. So he dropped him on the side of the road, still wrapped up in sheets, and took off.”
    Christ Jesus. A dead man walking. And the senator wasn’t a vampire—though apparently he’d developed one hell of a grudge against their kind.
    “Maybe we should go talk to Mark,” Charlie said quietly. Her face was telling him she’d just come to the same conclusion he had.
    He nodded. No more pussyfooting around.

CHAPTER 30
    Ethan began cursing as they flew over Madison Park. Charlie turned in his arms. Far below them, she made out the passing cars, the pedestrians…and Mark and Jake, leaving the restaurant.
    The trip to Cole’s had only taken twenty-five minutes; they couldn’t have finished dinner in that time.
    “You’d best have a good reason for this, novice,” Ethan said.
    A few seconds later, Jake pretended to play with his hair, and replied with a gesture over his head. Ethan drew in a sharp breath.
    “Well, I’ll be damned,” he said quietly, and met Charlie’s eyes. “He’s got Jane.”
    “ Mark does?” Startled, Charlie glanced down at the two as Mark opened the passenger door of his car, and Jake slid in.
    “Yes.” Ethan raised his voice. “All right, Jake—we’ll follow you. Be certain you don’t do anything to obstruct his free will; if he tries to keep us from taking Jane, Charlie can handle him.” He hesitated before adding, “And